Postpartum Backache: Back to Pain Again

If you're like nearly half of all newly delivered moms, the lower back pain from pregnancy has returned for an encore: Postpartum Backache.

Welcome back…backache. If you're like nearly half of all newly delivered moms, your old pal (not ) from pregnancy has returned for an encore. And it's no wonder you're feeling postpartum back pain. As you certainly know by now, during pregnancy, your hormones caused all your ligaments to loosen, including those in your back. And while that accentuated curve in your spine from those lax ligaments might have helped you support the weight of a watermelon…err …baby in your belly, once the baby is on the outside, it takes some time (and some weeks of soreness) before your ligaments become stronger and tighter again. Ditto your weakened abdominal muscles that altered your posture during pregnancy, putting strain on your back. Not to mention all those muscles you used (and probably didn't even know you had) when you were pushing your baby out. Add to that the constant bending you're doing now each time you lift that ever-heavier baby out of the crib, strap him or her into the car seat or stroller, then pick up the hungry bundle for a feeding, and bed him or her back down to the crib for a nap (and repeat…and repeat).

While time is probably the best medicine for a sore postpartum back, there are other ways to get your back back on track. Easing into some undemanding exercises, like pelvic tilts, can start you on the road to recovery. So can being conscious of your bending and lifting habits: Bend from the knees, not the back when you lift that baby (or that baby and those groceries). When you're feeding your baby, try not to sit hunched over (now that you're a mom, heed your own mother's words to sit up straight). And finally, treat yourself to a massage either from your parnter, or, if you can get away, from a professional. (Unless you're lucky enough to have a partner who's also a professional!)

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